CHAPTER 8 – Falling with Style

The next day, when Bonnie had gone out for playtime on the porch, taking Rex, Hamm and Trixie with her, Buzz approached Jessie, who was sitting up on the desk chair, her legs dangling over the back of the seat. Her forehead was resting against the bottom part of the backrest.

"Ahem, Jessie?" Buzz called up.

"Hmmm...?" Jessie uttered, lazily casting her eyes down to him. "Oh! Buzz!" She quickly straightened. "What...what is it?"

"Uhm...nothing...mind if I join you?" He asked, and the cowgirl shook her head.

Buzz scaled the chair leg and Jessie moved a little to one side to make room for him. He placed himself squarely next to her, and turned to look at her. "Jessie, I have to come clean," he began.

"Buzz, it's ok." Jessie soothed him. "What you said last night, it was..."

"...total mush, and I'm sorry. It was also untrue at the time, and..." Buzz wanted to continue but Jessie cut him off.

"What?" Her face twisted into a scowl. "You've been...l...l...lying to me?" She choked out, feeling her stomach ball up into a giant knot. How dare he lie to her? Who the heck did this stupid space creature think he was?

"Jessie," Buzz started, but she cut him off.

"Don't 'Jessie' me, spaceroid! You've lied to me about your feelings for me, made me happy, made a big song and dance about it in front of Woody, and what was it, a game to you, to mess with me? You'll be sorry!" She stood up, straightened her hat, and turned to walk away. Buzz leaned across to grab at her, but she shook him off and scaled up the back of the chair and hopped onto the desk.

Pulling himself up in a panic, Buzz followed her. He found her at the window ledge. She must have sensed him behind her, because she turned, "Don't come near me Buzz. I'll jump. I swear I will. And then I'll be lost forever. Do you really want that to happen?"

"Jessie...please..." Buzz started, then it occurred to him what she'd said. "...I made you happy?"

They looked at each other for a moment. Jessie was first to break the silence that passed between them. "Don't listen to me Buzz. I don't know what I'm talking about." She looked down at the ground, shuffling her feet.

"Jessie. You're not really going to jump, are you?"

"I...I...d...don't k...know..." Jessie's voice quavered. She reached out for the side of the window and rested her hand against it, looking back over her shoulder. Buzz reacted when she turned her head, jumping forward to drag her back into the room, but he over compensated and the two toys fell, head over feet, into the bushes below.

"Oof!" Jessie whined, as she tried to push Buzz off her. Buzz lifted his head and looked down at her. A look suddenly passed across his face as he saw her blush. Her breathing was rapid, her breath warm on his face, as he leaned down and very lightly brushed her lips with his own.

"Buzz," she whispered coyly as he pulled back, caught up in the moment. She forgot the fact that he was pinning her down to the floor, that she was SO angry at him for lying to her. All that mattered is that he'd done what she'd been anticipating for so long.

"Jessie," Buzz whispered, pushing back her hat so he could caress the top of her head. "I didn't mean to lie to you. Slinky dared me to tell you what I thought of you, more specifically, he told me I should tell you that you mean the world to me."

"So it –was- a game?" Jessie interrupted, looking hurt.

"It –was-, to begin with," Buzz explained. "But...something happened right after I realised I had to tell you. It wasn't easy, Jess. I had to tell someone, who I thought was a best friend of mine, that she was my world. And while, to a certain extent, it was true, I didn't realise how true until the words left my mouth."

Jessie gazed up at him. "Buzz...that's lovely..." she whispered back. "But could you do me a big favour?"

"Anything," Buzz looked down at her with kind eyes.

"Could you maybe, perhaps...get off me?" Jessie enquired, indicating her squashed midriff.

"Oh! Geez, sorry, Jessie," Buzz gasped, jumping up and hauling her to her feet, attempting to pummel her back into shape. He froze when Jessie took his hands in her own and pulled them around her waist. "I was right with my first assumption. You are the sweetest space toy," she giggled, wrapping her own arms around his neck and planting a soft kiss on his cheek.

Buzz simply smiled, and hugged her close.

"Buzz," Jessie murmured, "Mind my stuffing, would you?"

"Oops sorry, " Buzz released her a little, and held her at arm's length, looking into her big green eyes. "You know, I was probably right with my first assumption too. You are a beautiful young woman with a yarnful of hair." Jessie flushed red.

"Oh stop with the silly ranger act," she scolded him.

"Even if I did just assist you in falling in style?" Buzz smirked, and Jessie rolled her eyes.

"You need to learn when to quit, Buzz, seriously," she wagged her finger at him.

"Never?" Buzz said with a impish grin, suddenly twirling her and dipping her back so she was leaning back over his arm.

"Buzz," Jessie protested, but he held her in place.

"Only if I'm forgiven for being such a horrible liar," he told her, and Jessie nodded.

"I think I can manage that..." she admitted, and he raised her up again, "...if..."

"If?" Buzz asked.

"If I can get another one of those sweet things they call kisses," Jessie giggled.

"Ok, now -that's- mush, cowgirl, but I think I can take on that challenge," Buzz winked, grabbing her close for another kiss. Jessie's breath caught in her throat; this time she returned the kiss however, feeling as if this moment could last forever.